March 2024 Vol. 79 No. 3

The 31st annual Underground Infrastructure Conference will travel back to our hometown of Houston. As the nation’s fourth-largest city, Houston has held many highly successful UICs, and will again be the nexus of all things underground March 4-6, 2025.

The Russian sector of underground infrastructure construction is potentially in a serious crisis. The ever deepening shortage of funding and the lack of technologies are posing a threat for implementation of many investment projects and planned modernization of existing infrastructure.

Surveys and studies reveal that professional excavators/contractors are highly aware of Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) 811 initiative that requires they (as well as landscapers and homeowners) contact their state’s OneCall Center so underground utility lines are identified and marked before breaking ground.

Every four or five years, multiple committees in Congress undertake the responsibility of reauthorizing the nation’s pipeline safety program and the federal agency that oversees it.

Vermeer introduced an improved version of the RTX1250 127-horsepower ride-on trencher tractor that accepts multiple attachments. This updated model has received significant improvements, including enhancements to the tracks, axles and plow retention pins, to optimize productivity in challenging working conditions.

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) recently announced results of its 2023 North America Fiber Provider Survey. Performed by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA), the research concludes that 2023 set a new record for the highest annual FTTH growth; nine million homes were newly passed by network operators last year alone, according to Mike Render, RVA founder and CEO.

To streamline the collaboration of two HDD rigs efficiently working together, American Augers developed what it calls “catch-rig” technology. The system is ideally suited for river crossings and long-distance bores that require a lot of time, machines and prep work on the trail pipe at the exit hole.

Ellison Mills Contracting, a leading Southern Arizona’s heavy civil construction firm, has joined the ranks of certified Reline America installers; Vortex Technology Group LLC received WRc-Approved certification for its VeriCure Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) monitoring system.

The use of ADR can help make observations and perform coding at much faster rates than the human brain can, while maintaining image clarity. This is wonderful news when we consider the amount of data out there still to be collected, first time or fifth time.

$770 million allocated for rural infrastructure projects including water, internet; Cross-border pipeline to Mexico LNG plant receives regulatory approval; CenterPoint energy sells Louisiana, Mississippi natural gas assets; and more!

VANAIR acquires Grip Idle Management; Aries Industries adds Phoenix-based Short Equipment Inc. to its dealer network; United Rentals offers game-changing equipment, tools, approaches; Yanmar celebrates launch of zero tail swing excavator; and more!

Mark Roberts, well-known and respected leader in the pipeline industry, died Feb. 2, at age 75; Michael Hoffmaster was promoted from director to vice president of Business Development at OBIC LLC; Jeremy Cress, P.E. joined Woolpert; and more!